This invention relates to a process for the co-production of alcohols and alkyl benzenes, typically those in the detergent range.
Detergent range alcohols are alcohols, usually in the C8 to C20 range, (i.e. from 8 to 20 carbon atoms in the molecules) that are useful in the manufacture of detergents and surfactants.
Detergent range alcohols are commercially produced from the condensate product of a high temperature Fischer-Tropsch reaction, employing an iron based catalyst. Typically a feed stream consisting predominantly of olefins is recovered from such a Fischer-Tropsch reaction by distillation. The feed stream from the Fischer-Tropsch reaction is fractionated into a stream containing olefins in the 2C range, which is introduced to a hydroformylation reactor in which the olefins are converted to aldehydes (in the case of modified-Rh) or alcohols (in the case of modified-Co). The aldehydes/alcohols are then separated from paraffins in the stream. The resulting aldehydes/alcohols are in predominantly the 2C range.
The condensate products of iron catalysed high temperature Fischer-Tropsch reactions have relatively high concentration of olefins, relative to total volume of hydrocarbon products. Such high concentrations of olefins can be recovered economically by means of distillation or other separation techniques. However, when a relatively low concentration of olefins is produced, the cost of recovery thereof could even exceed the value generated by converting olefins to alcohols.
However, it has now surprisingly been found that alcohols and alkyl benzene can advantageously be co-produced from a Fischer-Tropsch derived feedstock, when the Fischer-Tropsch process is integrated with a hydroformylation and alkylation process.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved method for the production of alcohols and alkyl benzene, typically those used as detergent precursors.